Coordinated locking steering wheel and engine ignition switch



H. D. GEYER Nov. .10, 1931.

' cooRDINATED LOCKING STEERING WHEEL AND ENGINE IGNITION swITcH Filed June 1, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 1o, 1931. H. D. GEW-:R` 1,831,300

COORDINATED LOCKING STEERING WHEEL AND ENGI-[NE IGNITION SWITCH Filed June 1, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HARVEY D. GEYER, or DAYTON, OIIIO, AssIGNO Patented Nov. 1.0, 193

UNITED STATESA PATENT OFFICE COMPANY, or DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE f* COORDINATED LOOKING STEERING WHEEL Application inea .Tune 1,

This invention rela-tes to theftv proof dethe engine ignition may be turned olf.

The combination of a locksteering. wheel and ignition switch wherein the switch is turned oli? simultaneously with the locking I of the steering wheel has beenknown heretofore. However in such prior devices it has been possible for the operator to stop the engine by turning. the lock key and leaving i the key in the keyway. A great Vmany drivers will do just this when leaving the 15 vehicle unattended for only a short time,

and by so -doing the theft the device is obviously entirely Overcome.

An object of this invention therefore is to locking of the theft lock and the withdrawal of the key before the ignition switch may be turned off. Such a device will obviously require the locking of the vehicle and the 25 removal of the key every time the engine is stopped land therefore prevent,v careless drivers from leaving the car even for a short time inV such a condition that ay thief may drive it away.

. 3 0 A more specific object is to provide a combination of a locking steering wheelV and an ignition switch which will require the steering wheel to be rendered-completely erative before the ignition switch may be turned Off.

Another object is to so coordinate the ignition switch and theft lock that the ignition switch is automatically turned off by the withdrawal of the key from the lock.

Another object is to eliminate Asliding switch contacts when the steering wheel is turned for steering purposes during the driving of the car.V

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention 'is clearly shown. In the drawings:

j 5.Fig. proof lfeature of inop- `Alva. lW'. Scott issued July 10, 1928, to Patent No. 1,676,465. 'This looking mechanism is all bolted by the bolts 13.

tegral with the spider AND ENGINE IGNITION SWITCH 1925. serial N0.'33,s74. i

Fig. vl shows a loose locking steering wheel and engine ignition switch made according to this invention. The switch'mechanism is shown in section on shows the parts in switch olf position and the vkeywi yin the wheel lock covered by the switch actuating lever.

Fig. 2 is aview similar to the lower part of Fig. 1 but shows the switch mechanism in` wich on position and the key in the wheel oc l Fig. 3 is a horizontal section Von line 3 3 of Fig. 1 but shows the switch actuating lever in full'. f I

"is a horizontal section. on line 4`4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the switch lactuating lever. provide a combination of a theft lock and v2 0 ignition switch which will necessitate the Fig. 6 lis a section online 6-6 of Fig. 4 showing `the stationary ignition switch contacts.

Like or similar reference lcharacters refer to like or'similar parts throughout the several views. j The particular kind of lock mechanism within forms no partof the present invention and hence said mechanism has not been fully illustrated in this application. This particular lock mechanism whose outer view is shown in Fig. 1 is fully disclosedand claimed in a co'- pending application, Serial' N o. 755,182, iiled December 11,1924, by HarveyD. Geyer and enclosed'in an inner hardened steel protective shell 11 to which the outer casing 12 is This casing .12 is preferably an aluminum casting which is inarms 14' as clearly shown'in F ig. 1. 'A cylinder lock 15, of any well known construction, is mounted in the steel protective shell 11 beneath the outer casing 12. This outer casing 12 isv cut away at 16 touncover the rotary barrel 17 having the key-way 18 therein, to permit-the insertion of the key 20 in said key-way for the vactuation ofV said barrel 17. When the key.

20 is fully inserted in its key-way 18 it releases all the pintuinblers which hold barrel R TO THE INLAND JSIIIANU'FACIYURING` the lockingsteeringwheel hub 10v line 1 1 OfFig. 3 and lbeing rigidly joined ring 31'- (see Figs. 1 and 5'@ `outervhousing 12. ,is preferably ,wallof 12 Ia short space from thecshell 11 17 against rotation, whereupon the spring urged locking bolt of the locking mechanism snaps over to iiX the steering wheel in driving relation to its steering shaft 21.

The ignition switch mechanism will now be described. The steering shaft 21 is housed by a stationary tube or housing 22. A stationary cup 23 is mounted upon housing 22 and is held against relative rotation by two lugs 24 which rest at the bottom of two longitudinal slots 25 in housing 22 (see Figs. 1 and 4). Two stationary leaf spring contacts 26 are insulatedly mounted upon the bottom of cup 23 and held in place by the two contact terminal screws 27 which individually serve as the binding posts for the ignition circuit wires 28 leading to the stationary conf tacts26 (see Fig. 6). The contact points of thecontacts 26 are preferably arranged to lie diametrically opposed to each other (see Fig. 4). The movable contact ring 30 is insulatedly and reciprocably mounted above the contacts 26 so that when it is depressed it bridges across said contacts 26 and thus completes the ignition circuit through wires 23. This ring 30 is rigidly secured to a shouldered ring 31 but is insulated therefrom by the insulation ring 32. This shouldered ring 31 is provided with two inwardly turnedy lugs 33 which ride in the vertical slots 25iin the* housing 22 and so prevent relative rotation of ring 31 and contact ring 30 rigidly attached thereto, but permit their vertical reciprocation as will be now described.y The coil spring 34 engages the under side of shouldered ring 31 and urges it upwardly away from the contacts 26 as clearly shown in Fig. 1. A switchactuating lever (designated as a whole by numeral 35) engages the upper side 'of ring 31 and when depressed Vcauses contact ring 30 .to contact with the contacts 26. This lever35 (see Fig. is provided with ,tivo legs 36 extending on opposite sides lof 'housing' 22, the outer ends of said legs 36 y together by the cross rod 37 making a rigid construction.Each leg 36 has an inwardly extending lug 38 whichengages the top side of shouldered The fulcrum Yend of lever 35 has two upwardly projecting extensions 39 which eXtend through two guide slots 40 provided in the short flanges 41 on casting 42 (to he later described). These eX- tensions 39 contact against the bottom surface of the steel shell 11 at points 43 which thusact as pivot points for the lever 35. 4One leg 36 has'anupward extension 45 which rides in a suitable clearance space 44 between the steel shell 11 and the side wall'of the This clearance space 44 formed by bulging out the side asl clearlyindicated in Fig. 3. This eX- tension-.45 covers thelreyway l 18 ,of thewheel Awami- ...mn 2n ia-rmf. nf contact with stationary contacts 26, but when lever 35 has been depressed to bring ring 30 into contact with contacts 26 the keyway 18 is uncovered, as will be obvious from comparing Figs. 1 and 2.

Preferably extension 45 has a short outwardly turned' lian ge 46 at its top which enables lever 35 to be easily depressed by the tip end of the Ykeyr20 before said key is inserted in its keyway 18. r lVhen the lever 35 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, its upward .movement due to the urge vof coil spring 34 is limited bythe cross rod 37 engaging the Yunder side ofl shell 11, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Y This leaves a suitable opening above the flange 46 into which the tip of key 20 is easily inserted by the operator to facilitate the depression of lever 35 by means of key 20. The operator merely presses upon the flange 45 with the tip of key 20 until keyway 18 is uncovered whereupon key 2O is easily inserted in its keyway as shown in Fig. 2. Vhen flange `46 is in this position the ignition switch 'contacts 26 are bridged by the movable contact ring 30V and hence ignition is on7 and the engine may be started. When key 2O is turned, either by hand orby a spring urgedV locking bolt to render the steering Vwheel operative, the flange'46 is` depressed still further by the camming action of the key, but it will be clear that this further movement of lever 3,5 acts only to slightly increase the contact pressure between contacts 26 and ring 30.

It will now be obvious that before the ignition may be turned off the key 20 must be again turned to position shown in Fig. 2, thus rendering the steering wheel inoperative by the movement of the locking bolt, and then withdrawn 4entirely from the keyway 18. VThe coil spring 34 then automatically moves ring 30 out of Contact with contacts 26 and causes extension 45 of lever 35 to cover keyway 18. TheV automobile will now be safely locked against thieves and the driver will not be tempted to leave the key in its keyway since he has withdrawn it entirely clear of the lock.

The casting 42 serves as a housing for the Aswitch mechanism and as a guide for the somewhat loosely mounted non-rotatable cup 23. -This casting 42 is bolted to the wheel hubby the same bolts 13 which holds the [aluminum housing 12 to the steel shell 11- (as clearly shown in the drawings). The round holes in casting 42 are provided to permit the insertion and removal of the bolts 13 by means of a screw-driver, as will be readily lunderstood. ,o

An important feature of this switch mechanism is that there'is nol relative sliding between ring 30 and contacts .26 during rotation of the wheel for steering the car. The ring 31 is kept from rotating by the lugs 33 riding in vertical slots 25 in housing 22 as described hereinabove, while the lugs 38 on lever 35 slide around upon the shoulder on ring 31 when the steering wheel is rotated for steering purposes. This prevents constant wear on the switch contacts.

l/Vhile the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

IVhat is claimed is as follows:

1. In a locking steering wheel mechanism for an automotive vehicle, in combination: a steering shaft, a steering wheel mounted upon said shaft, a key operated means for rendering said wheel either operative or inoperative to drive said shaft, a removable key for actuating said means, an electric switch mounted adjacent said shaft, and means for actuating said switch, said actuating means being engaged by the key in said key operated means and held in switch-closed position by said key in all rotary positions thereof whereby the opening of said switch is prevented until said key is withdrawn from said key operated means.

2. In a locking steering wheel mechanism for an automotive vehicle, in combination: a steering shaft, a steering wheel mounted upon said shaft, a key operated means for rendering said wheel either operative or inoperative to drive said shaft, a removable key 4for actuating said means, an electrlc switch mounted adjacent said shaft, and means for actuating said switch, said actuating means being engaged by the key in said key operated means and held in switch-closed position by said key in all rotary positions therenature. Y v

HARVEY D. GEYER.

of, and automatically movable to switch open position when the ey is withdrawn from said key operated means.

3. In an engine driven vehicle, in combination, a steering wheel, a lock operable by a key for rendering said wheel operative or inoperative, an engine ignition switch associated with said wheel, actuating means for said switch, said actuating means being arranged to cover the keyway in said lock when the ignition switch is in 0E position and movable by said key to on position before said key m'ay be inserted in its keyway in the lock.

4. In an engine driven vehicle, in combination, a steering wheel, a lock operable by a removable key for rendering said wheel operative or inoperative, an engine ignition switch associated with said wheel, an actuating lever for said switch, said actuating lever being engaged by said key at all times when in said lock and held thereby in on position whereby the ignition switch may not be turned off until said key is withdrawn from the lock.

5. In an engine driven vehicle, in combination, an operating mechanism, a lock oper- 

